It Knows the Sound of Its Source

When I saw the little one move under the covering of her mama’s protection, my heart rejoiced.

Such a small movement. Such a beautiful picture.

She moved close to her mother, and I began to think about what was there waiting for her.

Protection.
Warmth.
Nourishment.

The little one wasn’t thinking about how to provide for herself. She was staying near the one who cared for her.

Oh, what peace.
Oh, what safety.
Oh, what nourishment.

What peace and joy belong to us when we remain close to our Father’s side, resting under the shadow of His protection and guidance.

I thought about the sound of her mama’s bleat—the familiar call she was learning to recognize among the cries of the herd. To me, it became a picture of knowing the voice that calls us close.

It knows the sound of its source.

Selah.

There are so many voices calling for our attention.

Some hurry us. Some frighten us. Some tell us we are falling behind. Some would lead us away from the very place where we have been nourished.

But how well do we know the voice of the One who tends us?

Have we spent enough time close to Him to recognize His call amid the noise?

His Word teaches us His ways. As we return to it, we become familiar with His heart—with the Shepherd who gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close.

Close to His heart.

I love that part.

There is tenderness in how He carries us. He knows when we need to be gathered up. He knows when our steps are still unsteady, when we are tired, when we need the reassurance of His nearness.

And then there is the mother.

“He gently leads those that have young.”

The Shepherd sees her, too.

He sees the responsibility she carries. He sees the little one depending on her. He knows that her journey includes tending another life.

What a beautiful comfort for those of us caring for others.

The mothers.
The fathers.
The grandparents.
Those nurturing someone who still needs help finding their footing.

Our Shepherd knows what we carry. And He knows how to lead us gently as we care for those entrusted to us.

That little moment in the pasture reminded me how precious it is to remain near—to receive what we need from our Father before trying to pour it out for someone else.

Sometimes we are so eager to move forward that we forget to pause and listen.

Where is He leading?
What has He said?
Are we following His voice, or simply the loudest voice around us?

The little one moved beneath her mama’s covering, and my heart saw an invitation.

Come close.

There is nourishment here.
There is guidance here.
There is a place for you near My heart.

Perhaps today we need to quiet ourselves long enough to hear that familiar call again. Open His Word. Bring Him what troubles us. Rest in the care of the One who knows how to shepherd His own.

Oh, what peace.
Oh, what safety.
Oh, what nourishment.

May we grow so familiar with our Father’s voice that, even among the cries of the herd, we know the sound of our Source.

And when He calls, may we move close.

Selah.

Misti Rains Kantor

Newer reflection: To the Fathers Still Shepherding Hearts

Earlier reflection: Why Do We Keep Getting Stuck in the Fence?